FAA Says It Wants ATC'ers To "Dress Professionally"

Some air traffic controllers are getting creative in showing their displeasure over a new dress code recently mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The agency says it is meant to create a professional atmosphere. The controllers think otherwise, according to the Associated Press.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says there have been a few occasions where controllers precisely complied with the guidelines with some... interesting... results.

The NATCA provided some examples of recent goings-on caused by the new code to the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the AP:

• Some male controllers showed they abided by the 'letter of the law' by wearing dresses to work.
• A controller in Oberlin was told his aquamarine pants were "not gender appropriate."
• A New York controller was ordered to wear dress shoes, despite having a doctor's note saying she needed to wear tennis shoes because of a knee problem. She ended up falling, breaking her elbow and injuring her knee.
• In Maryland, a supervisor inspected one controller's pants with a flashlight and determined the pants had "jeans-like seams" and were against the new code.
• A controller in Oakland, CA was sent home because his pants were "too wrinkled."
• Miami controllers were reportedly informed they could no longer wear "tropical shirts," even though they have collars, as required by the dress code. Then management reversed the decision and now allows tropical shirts with "muted colors."
• One controller purposely wore "an outfit that was not fit for human consumption" to protest the new code: a purple shirt, a mismatched purple tie, white pants, purple socks and purple snakeskin shoes. It in no way violated the dress code.

"In light of all the problems facing controllers and the FAA, it seems silly that the agency has become the fashion police," said Melissa Ott, Cleveland Air Route Control Center in Oberlin spokesperson.

She notes controllers work in a dark room in a secure building out of public view, according to the Plain Dealer.

"So, who are we dressing up for?" Ott asked.

FAA spokesperson Laura Brown said the agency just wants its air traffic controllers to dress professionally.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.natca.org